Polls schedule to be issued 56 days before Feb 8: ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Friday the general election schedule would be announced 56 days before the election date i.e. February 8.

“Everything is happening as per plan and the Election Commission is geared up to announce the schedule for elections well on time i.e. 56 days before the polling day,” ECP sources said.

They pointed out that with the publication and notification of the final list of delimited constituencies, the Election Commission had cleared a major legal hurdle in relation to the conduct of elections in the backdrop of digital census.

Sources said that follow-up of the things decided during the last meeting of the Election Commission was being carried out and the electoral body was expected to hold another meeting within a week to review the preparations.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission termed a statement issued by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Babar Awan with regard to the NA seat allocations to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa a “failed attempt to create confusion”.

An ECP spokesperson said, “Babar Awan’s statement regarding reduction in the seats of National Assembly of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is ridiculous and completely contrary to the facts and a failed attempt to create confusion in the minds of people.”

He pointed out that, in fact, according to the 25th Constitutional Amendment in 2018, after the merger of the erstwhile FATA with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, 12 National Assembly seats of FATA were abolished and the NA seats of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province were increased from 39 to 45.

Similarly, he explained, 16 general seats have been increased from 99 to 115 in the KP provincial assembly. “As a lawyer, Babar Awan should not do anything outside the Constitution and the law. It is the prerogative of parliament to determine the seats of national and provincial assemblies and according to the seats allotted as per the Constitution, the Election Commission has divided the constituencies,” he added.

Separately, three members of the caretaker federal government have so far not submitted their statements of assets and liabilities to the Election Commission of Pakistan as required under the law.

They are Air Marshal (retd) Farhat Hussain Khan, Adviser to the caretaker prime minister on Aviation, Ahad Khan Cheema, adviser to the prime minister on Establishment, and Dr Waqar Masood Khan, adviser to the prime minister on Finance.

The ECP dispatched a letter to the Secretary Cabinet, drawing his attention towards the mandatory submission of statements of assets and liabilities. It mentions the names of the three “defaulting” advisers to the prime minister.

The letter reads, “It is, therefore, requested to kindly obtain the requisite statement of assets and liabilities (Form-B) from the above-listed advisers to the prime minister and furnish the same to this commission for necessary action under the section at the earliest.”